Reminisce
by notcreativeenoughtomakeone
Summary: After five years of searching, Ulrich finally finds Aelita. Together they reminisce on their relationship, while Ulrich tries to figure out why she left in the first place. By the end of the night, they decide whether or they were better off together, or apart.
1. The Hypnotist

**_This story was done by request of krazyfanfictionfan231. I've played around with the idea of another AelitaXUlrich story, but never really fleshed it out until now. It was easy to write, until the ending that I've flipped flopped on so many times. Took me longer than I thought it would, but I finally decided on the ending and I just may stick with it. The story is told out of order, so the order of events are scrambled. _**

**_I do not own Code Lyoko. _**

* * *

><p>Aelita sat down with a glass of water as the club went on around her. It amazed her how quickly her following had developed, and how fast a club could reach maximum capacity when she took the stage. The word commonly used by her fans to describe her music was 'hypnotic'. The Hypnotist was her stage name accordingly.<p>

The club had booked her for a three hour show, which she completed and was just waiting for the owner to come and talk to her. She was contracted for four months, and this was the last show on the contract, so they were going through the preliminary paperwork before anyone's lawyer or manager was brought in.

Aelita looked up from her phone and saw the owner had sat across from her and they started talking business.

"I gotta be honest, I underestimated your pull," The owner said and Aelita smiled with a shrug.

"I can make deals without my manager present. Flatter me," Aelita said and took a sip of her water, and the owner swore to himself. Couldn't rip off a sober woman.

"Six months, seven a month, same schedule," The owner said and Aelita giggled and shook her head.

"Seven? The Ozone offered me three months at eleven," Aelita said and the owner leaned into his seat.

"That's only thirty three, I just offered forty two in writing."

"Do you think renewing a contract is an issue for me?" Aelita asked and the owner smiled at her as a waitress dropped off a shot for him. He downed it quickly and groaned.

"Nine for six months," The owner offered and Aelita smiled.

"Sounds agreeable, call Richard, you two can work out the legal stuff," Aelita said and shook his hand before grabbing her coat and leaving. Going out the front door she smiled at the bouncer who smiled back as she zipped up her coat and looked across the street.

Someone standing across the street made her freeze where she was. He smiled at her, and walked over till he stood in front of her.

"Long time, huh Aelita," he said and she had to find her voice. She swallowed, looked down for a moment, then back up.

"Five years is a long time Ulrich," Aelita said and managed a weak smile.

"Care to talk?" Ulrich asked and Aelita nodded and pulled out her phone and started texting.

"Who's that?" Ulrich asked.

"I was going to a friend's, just telling them I'll be late."

Aelita usually took a cab home considering the distance a young woman would have to travel at night. On a typical night she left the club after her set at approximately nine o'clock. After the cab ride she was at her building, up the stairs, and at her door ten minutes later. Tonight however, she walked with Ulrich.

After five years of not seeing each other, the awkwardness was present and thick. They walked side by side, sharing glances, then turning away. Aelita opened her mouth to speak, and when she did Ulrich turned and she stopped.

"What?" Ulrich asked and Aelita looked straight.

"How did you find me?" Aelita asked and Ulrich pulled out his phone and opened a video. It started to load and Ulrich handed her the phone, Aelita stopping to watch it. When it started she heard her music playing. It was a video taken on someones phone in the crowd from a show she did a few weeks ago.

The camera panned the crowd and stopped at the stage. The camera zoomed in, and she saw herself at the turn tables. Aelita let out a laugh and covered her mouth and handed it back to him.

"What's so funny?" Ulrich asked, and Aelita couldn't stop laughing.

"I've never seen myself on stage, I look like shit," Aelita said and Ulrich chuckled as well, putting his phone away, "How did you find that video?"

"Yumi did," Ulrich said and Aelita remained quiet, not sure what to say.

"How are...the...others...the others doing," Aelita said and Ulrich shrugged.

"Jeremie and Odd are still in school. Odd's in Venice last I knew, some art program. Jeremie is interning while going to school. Yumi and William moved in together last year."

"Yumi and William? It has been five years," Aelita said with surprise, "How long did she fight that one for?"

"Yumi asked him actually," Ulrich said and Aelita smiled, "Are you still mad at her?"

"That was six years ago. I can only hold onto a grudge for so long. It was still a bitch move but I have no hard feelings anymore," Aelita said and Ulrich chuckled and looked at her.

"That was a memorable day. It was the first time you yelled at me."

* * *

><p><strong>Six Years Ago<strong>

Junior year ended before any of them knew it. Senior year for Yumi who was leaving for college. William was going as well and they had a party at Yumi's house the weekend before she left. No one else from the school came, it was just the gang sitting around her living room talking.

'Remember that time?' was a very popular phrase on these kinds of occations. Odd couldn't tell a story without using his body so his were always the center of the room, the source of the laughter and the most animated. Everyone laughed and said their goodbyes and when they'd visit and when she'd visit.

"Seriously, I'm only a two hour train ride," Yumi said to everyone as they mentioned how the group was finally splitting.

Most of the arguments seemed to have been gone, as Jeremie was talking to Aelita without it being awkward and Yumi to Ulrich. Aelita saw Ulrich talking to Yumi when she walked into the kitchen for another drink, and didn't care because she just came from talking with Jeremie.

"Hey you two," Aelita said when she walked in and opened her fridge.

"Want your man?" Yumi asked and Aelita smiled.

"Can we talk for a bit?" Aelita asked and Yumi looked at Ulrich who kissed Aelita as he left the room.

"What's up?" Yumi said and Aelita hugged her and Yumi hugged her back.

"My best friend is leaving," Aelita said and Yumi smiled and reassured her.

"You'll be fine, you're a big girl now," Yumi said and Aelita giggled and they looked at each other.

"Any apprehensions?" Aelita asked and Yumi shrugged.

"Yeah, I mean I'm leaving my family and all of my friends. I have so many memories with all of you," Yumi said and Aelita looked around the corner to make sure no one was near.

"There is a reason I needed to talk to you," Aelita said and leaned back in, "I'm late."

"Late for what?" Yumi asked and one expression from Aelita's face changed the entire context, "Oh shit, are you serious?"

"I wish I wasn't. I know you and Ulrich had that scare last year, do you still have any of those tests?" Aelita said and Yumi leaned to look as well as nodded. Together they quietly made their way to her stairs straight passed everyone and no one even batted an eyelash.

Soon Aelita was in the bathroom that connected to Yumi's room while Yumi leaned against the door frame.

"I didn't even know you and Ulrich...you know," Yumi said as Aelita was almost finished and now they had to wait, "When was your first time?"

"Mid terms," Aelita said as she pulled her jeans back up. She stepped out of the bathroom and they walked to Yumi's bed to sit down. They both looked at the test as it finished, then at each other.

"If you had told me, a few years ago that we would both at one point, have a pregnancy test in our hand from the same guy, I'd say you were insane," Yumi said and Aelita giggled and looked at the test.

"This thing takes forever," Aelita said and exhaled slowly, and nervously.

"How late are you?" Yumi asked and Aelita nervously giggled then got really nervous.

"Three weeks," Aelita said and Yumi lost her voice.

"Three...I...what..." Yumi stammered, having no idea what to say while having plenty to say.

"I've been so busy with finals I just didn't notice," Aelita said and Yumi sighed and they heard the test finish, "It's one of those face ones, please tell me frowny face is negative."

"It is," Yumi said and Aelita let out a huge sigh of relief

"I'm so relieved my stomach hurts, is that weird?" Aelita said and Yumi shook her head.

"I had the same reaction," Yumi said and they smiled at each other.

"I'm really glad, that wasn't your last moment with me," Aelita said and they both giggled and Aelita walked into the bathroom, wrapped the stick in seveal layers of toilet paper to avoid an awkward conversation in the future and threw it in the trash. When she came back Yumi had a different expression now, and she had no idea what it was.

"Yumi?" Aelita asked and walked over to her, "You okay?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Yumi said and stood up, "Let's just enjoy the party."

"I can't when I know something's bothering you," Aelita answered.

"Its just...not fair to complain about this to you," Yumi said and Aelita walked to her bedroom door and closed it.

"What?" Aelita asked and Yumi looked at her floor, then back up and sighed.

"It bothers me...you two are already sleeping together," Yumi said and shook her head at her own feelings on the matter. In reality, it bothered her that it bothered her.

"Really?" Aelita asked, genuinely shocked.

"It shouldn't bother me, but I think it's because it really does close the book on Ulrich and me. I can't change my mind anymore," Yumi said and shook her head at her own hopelessness. She thought she sounded pathetic.

"Yumi, I want you to give me an honest answer. Do you think you made the right choice, breaking up with him I mean?" Aelita asked and Yumi thought about it.

"I don't know. Being single at first it's liberating. It feels so good to not be tied down like that anymore. Then it's boring. Then it's lonely," Yumi said without looking up at Aelita.

"Then you relapse," Aelita said and Yumi nodded, "Then you start a friends with benefits relationship."

"Then he says no," Yumi said and started crying.

"What?" Aelita asked and Yumi moved away from her, "Yumi."

"I tried to get back together with him, two weeks after he started dating you," Yumi said and Aelita just looked at her, "I'm so sorry."

"What happened, Yumi...the truth, did he sleep with you?" Aelita asked and Yumi shook her head.

"No, but I tried. I tried to make him cheat on you," Yumi said and Aelita stood up off her bed, not sure if she was going to do something, but getting the distance in case she wanted to.

"What the fuck Yumi," Aelita said and grabbed the door handle, bottled her rage, and turned around to face her again, "That's the worst thing you've ever done."

"I know...I...if you want to slap me, I won't do anything," Yumi said and as Aelita felt her hand curl into a fist, but relaxed her hand and just left the room. Aelita went down stairs, grabbed Ulrich as she walked through the living room then stopped in the kitchen.

"Why didn't you tell me Yumi tried getting back together with you?" Aelita asked and Ulrich froze in shock, unsure how to answer while wondering how she knew.

"Nothing happened."

"That's not what I asked," Aelita said and Ulrich exhaled slowly.

"Does it matter?" Ulrich asked.

"Yes it fucking matters!" Aelita shouted at him, making William and Odd lean into the kitchen. Aelita groaned and grabbed his arm to drag him to the backyard.

"Now, why?" Aelita asked again.

"I don't know, we had just started dating and I didn't want to have that fight so early," Ulrich said and Aelita shook her head.

"Why would I be mad at you? Do you have any idea how much it took to not tear her head off when she just told me. She dumps you, then she drags you behind for months, and I have to pick up those pieces. I did. I did because I know the kind of person you are and I wanted to be with you. So I waited, and helped you get over her. I made sure you had the space and the time, and then you asked me.

"Then she has the nerve, after everything to just waltz up ad say I changed my mind," Aelita said and Ulrich hugged her. Aelita tried to push him away but he held onto her, and she stopped and just cried on his shoulder, "Keep me away from her. Let's just go."

Aelita cried as Yumi looked out from her window overlooking the backyard. Part of her wanted to open the window to hear, but she could see Aelita crying, and that was enough. She closed the curtains and walked down stairs to see the door shut from Aelita and Ulrich leaving.

"What just happened?" William asked and Yumi walked to her window and saw Ulrich and Aelita walking down the street. She looked at everyone who waited for a response.

"They just needed to leave, nothing major," Yumi lied and everyone pretended to believe her. They all decided to not put a match over the powder keg.


	2. The Letter

They reached Aelita's building at nine-forty and walked in after Aelita opened it with her key. They stood in the lobby where the mailboxes were, Aelita trying to think of something to say as they stood in silence.

"I'm on the third floor," Aelita said and looked at the stairs to their back, "Want to talk tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Ulrich asked, "Can't we talk now?"

Aelita looked down nervously, then slowly looked back up and found his eyes again.

"I have an early morning," Aelita said and Ulrich shrugged.

"Doing what?"

Aelita sighed and saw him smiling, figuring he called her out.

"Look, we have a history. It's messy and I don't know..."

"It's messy because you made it messy!" Ulrich shouted at her, catching her off guard and making her flinch, "I'm...sorry. That's five years of pent up...sorry."

"I know it was me," Aelita said and stepped toward him, "I was the one who left."

"Why...that's my only question. I thought we loved each other, and one day I wake up in an empty bed. An empty bed and this," Ulrich said and pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her. It was the note she left him five years ago. The one she wrote the day she left.

"You still have it," Aelita said and took the note from Ulrich's hand. She read it to herself and remembered how painful it was to leave.

"I read those words so many times I have them committed to memory. How the hell do we go from perfect...to...gone. How does that happen?"

"I didn't need college...I...I knew what I wanted to do. All of you, would have...slowed me down."

"Why not just tell me?" Ulrich asked, "Even if I didn't like it, I'd still support your choice."

* * *

><p>Most nights of the week Ulrich and Aelita used her room, so the code word was becoming less needed but still helpful. Aelita told him about the scare a week later and he asked her to never withhold things like that from him. Months into the first semester of senior year Ulrich maintained his grades and Aelita felt herself becoming less focused on school. Not like it reflected on her grades in any significant way, but if it wasn't music or Ulrich she didn't care.<p>

Finals came, the seasons changed, they started they're last semester. Ulrich didn't know Aelita hadn't sent out a single application yet. While Ulrich was studying she was on her laptop, creating a new mix or reading on the music scene. It was there she found out about various festivals, competitions and clubs. All of which she wanted to be a part of.

Two months away from graduation, Aelita didn't tell him she had already turned in the paperwork. She wanted to tell him, but last time she made rash, impulsive decisions her previous boyfriend was less than pleased. In reality, she was just too scared to face his answer, so decided to not tell him the questions. Aelita wanted to tell him she had tested out.

The day Aelita turned in the paperwork, they were in his room. All day. Aelita had mentioned doing this a few times, but now they were actually doing it. Literally lying in bed and having sex all day. Odd had a date and stayed with her so privacy wasn't an issue.

After they had lost count, Aelita rested her head on his chest, feeling it raising and falling rapidly, hearing his heart poundng in his chest.

"How many more do you got?" Aelita asked with a giggle and Ulrich laughed back while gasping.

"I was out two times ago," Ulrich said and Aelita kissed up his chest to his lips, placing her body fully on his and straddled him, "Whoa, be careful, I took it off."

"I thought you were out of ammo," Aelita said in a teasing voice and Ulrich shook his head and smiled.

"I might be," Ulrich and she kissed him again and went under the covers, kissing down his chest and kept going.

Every fantasy he told her he had, they did that night. Every fantasy she had, they did. If it was within reason and didn't involve a third person, it was done. They had the night of their lives. Aelita wanted it to be the best night they ever had. Because she was gone when he woke up.

Ulrich opened his eyes and saw a letter on his desk and read it. He immediately called her only for it to go straight to voice mail. He got dressed and ran to her room and knock. No response. He opened it, and saw she had left some of her clothes, but took almost everything else. She was gone, and her note left no indication.


End file.
